Why should I hire a travel consultant?

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The consultants at Go Farther Travel provide a variety of services for all types of travelers and planners, but we have found that our customers choose us for one (or more) of these four reasons:

 

1. You lack the time.

 

Depending on your perspective, the internet has made travel planning both easier and more complicated.

 

How it's easier: 

You can book your own flights.

How it's harder:

Should I book through one of these really cheap sites? Which airline is better? Do the arrival and departure times work with my agenda? What is the difference between basic economy, economy, premium economy, business, and first class? I just want to know if I can bring a carry-on bag! How big can my bag be on the second flight? How do I get from one terminal to the other? Is the layover long enough? Which airport should I fly out of? Do I set an alert for all of the airports in the tri-state area? When is the best time to buy my tickets?

 

How it's easier:

You can book your own accommodations.

How it's harder:

Should I stay in a hotel, B&B, or AirBnB? Is it cheaper to book direct? Is breakfast included? What about taxes and resort fees? Is this a safe neighborhood? Is there an airport shuttle? How big is 16 sq m? Trip Advisor, Booking.com, and Google reviews all have different ratings – which should I trust? When do I pay? Can I cancel if my plans change?

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How it's easier:

You can book your own rental car.

How it's harder:

Do I need a rental car? Can my husband drive, too? Do I get the rental insurance? No one told me I might need an international drivers' license! Is a Fiat big enough for 4 people? Wait, this car is not an automatic?! How is the parking situation? Gas costs how much?! How do I convert liters to gallons?

 

How it's easier:

You can reserve the attractions you want to see.

How it's harder:

Is the City Pass worth it? Should I invest in a Skip The Line tour? Can I see these 3 museums in the same day? How do I get from one to the other? I will be in that city on Monday but nothing is open on Mondays!

 

Yes, you can book your vacation on your own, but is it really easier? For most travelers, planning comes with a lot of questions to answer, and answering them takes a lot of research and patience. It can feel like a full-time job! If you already have a full-time job, and/or other more pressing responsibilities, you may not have the time to plan a big and complicated vacation.

 

2. You lack the confidence.

 

Perhaps you don't travel very often or very far from home. Your alter ego would love to take an epic vacation, but every-day-you is hesitant. If you start planning 18 months out, this may be doable, but more likely, it's overwhelming. What if you pick the wrong place, get lost, or have a miserable time? Or maybe you think it will be wonderful, but how do you begin to plan it? You may not even have a passport yet!

 

3. You lack the desire.

 

Not the desire to travel – you wouldn't be here in that case. You lack the desire to plan an extraordinary vacation. You would love to go on safari, provided you can just show up. Planning is not your thing. (Fortunately, it's ours!)

 

4. You lack the budget.

 

No, we are not referring to those with an endless amount of money to spend (although we can certainly help them, too), but to those who take trips without setting a budget first.

 

• Do you jump at the opportunity to travel without the savings account to support it?

• Do you find that most of your trip goes on a credit card with no plan in place to quickly pay it off?

• Do you set a budget and then blow it out of the water?

• Do you not travel at all, or take boring, cheap vacations, because you don't think you can afford an amazing one?

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Why would I go with you and not a traditional travel agent?

 

If you are booking an all-inclusive resort or a cruise on its own, a traditional travel agent is your best bet. Because they are compensated by the hotel or cruise line, they can provide many of their services free of charge, and sometimes will offer upgrades if you book with one of their preferred suppliers.

 

Go Farther Travel provides a much different experience. We do not rely solely on commissions, so we won't be directing you to stay at chain hotels, or encouraging you to take a river cruise rather than the train trip you requested. We also don't book European "tours" through third-party providers, eliminating expensive markups. When you hire us, we work for you.

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In addition, we plan your entire trip - including your flights. Most travel agents and tour operators want nothing to do with your air arrangements. They don't make commission on it, so it is not worth the effort, nor the headache if something goes wrong. In contrast, Go Farther Travel believes that your vacation begins the moment you leave your house, so not only will we research and book your airfare, we will even coordinate your transportation to, or parking at, the airport! 

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Furthermore, we encourage you to visit multiple destinations on your vacation. So, unlike other agencies, we do not charge you more for going farther. 

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I have a Type A personality. Can I hire you and be highly involved in planning the trip?

 

Of course! At Go Farther Travel, we wear many hats. You may think of your consultant as filling one or more of these roles, according to your needs:

 

• Assistant – She is here to help you with the grunt work of planning your trip.

• Concierge – She can offer suggestions about what you may want to do on your vacation, as well as lend her expertise when you need it.

• Coordinator – She will handle the logistical aspects of your trip to make sure it flows smoothly.

• Agent – Let her book everything and keep track of confirmations and schedules.

• Confidante – You can brainstorm together, and she will lend an ear and a hand when you are frustrated.

• Curator – She can organize your vision into a visually beautiful and easy-to-follow itinerary.

• Contact – When your boots are on the ground, she is your go-to person for adjustments to your schedule, or to address any issues.

• Accountant – Let her assist with your budget-planning process, keep track of expenses, and ensure that you spend within your means.

• Advisor – She can suggest a packing list or where to park at the airport, and she'll remind you that a 30-minute connection is stress you don't need.

• Caretaker – Allow her to find or provide (depending on where you live) water for your plants, alternate side parking for your car, or a pet sitter for your dog while you are away.

• Consultant – All of the above and more!

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Okay, but what if I only want the nice itinerary and the emergency contact?

 

While we'd prefer to help you with all aspects of your vacation with our Custom Planning Services (CPS), we do offer some services a-la-carte. For example, if you already know your itinerary but would like to see it organized in our awesome app, we can accommodate your wishes. In addition, we can review any of the following options with you during our initial consultation:

 

1. Pre-Trip Research: If you want help researching for your vacation, or narrowing down your list of destinations, or showing you the pros and cons of several options, let us help you! If you know you want to take a big-bus tour and need help deciding which to take, or you'd like to find cruise excursions that the cruise line doesn't offer, we would love to research this for you. Click here to learn more.

2. Existing Itineraries:  Do you follow us on social media and want to recreate one of our epic voyages, without having to customize a whole new one? You can purchase the itinerary and book what you want from it, or we can book it for you. Click here to learn more.

3. Group Travel & Special Events: If you plan to travel with a group, or to host a destination event, we can coordinate your logistics and activities.  Click here to learn more.

4. Travel with Us: If you are not ready to embark on an epic journey of your own, join us on one of ours! Click here to learn more.

5. Surprise Trips: Whether you want to get away but don't want to plan the trip, or you want to spice up your next vacation, let us choose your destination and itinerary for a truly unique experience. Click here to learn more.

6. Travel Budgets and Savings Plans: Many people budget for their big-ticket travel items (airfare, hotels, activities) and then they put the on-the-ground expenses (meals, taxis, souvenirs) on a credit card. At Go Farther Travel, we believe vacations are more enjoyable when you're not wondering how you're going to pay off those charges. Through years of experience, we have formulated what things will cost, wherever you go. We can create this budget for you, and a savings plan, so that you are prepared for the "all-in" price of your trip, before you ever leave your house. Click here to learn more.

7. Emergency Concierge: Murphy's Law tells us that if things can go wrong, they will. From lost luggage to sprained ankles, seasoned travelers know that mishaps do occur, and it can be a hassle to handle them when you are away from home. Let us help! Click here to learn more.

8. Hoboken Residents: We understand how much you have to think about before you travel. No one wants to go on a big vacation and come home to a flooded basement or a boot on their car! We can provide local residents peace of mind that someone is looking after your home, plants, and vehicle. Click here to learn more.

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Keep in mind, however, that since we prioritize our CPS clients' trips, our two concierge services - emergency and help-at-home - are available on a limited basis. Please inquire if your dates are available.

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I love everything you're saying, but I am a budget traveler. Can I afford a custom vacation?

 

Regardless of your budget, Go Farther Travel is committed to transforming your dream vacation into reality. We work with you to determine a plausible "all-in" budget, and then bundle your pre-paid expenses with that in mind. So while we cannot pay for your meals and souvenirs in advance, your Go Farther Travel package will always leave room in your budget for those costs. Even better, we offer payment plans! 

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So, how does this work?

 

1. You complete our 10-minute, in-depth questionnaire. (You can schedule your initial consultation on that questionnaire or skip the questionnaire and schedule it here.)

2. Your consultant will "meet" with you on Zoom so you can get to know one another and discuss your trip.

3. After your call, we will research everything to provide you with two free quotes: what your all-in budget should be, and what we expect your pre-paid package to cost.

4. If these numbers work for you, we will ask for a non-refundable deposit, to be applied to your package price. Then we will get started on customizing your dream vacation! (If you decide not to move forward with your trip, you will have purchased a full itinerary to book for yourself.)

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How far in advance of my trip should I contact you?

 

You can reach out to us at any time! Ideally, we will have ample time to plan your trip (6 months or more). However, if you need expedited services, we can assist you with that as well.

 

But what if you just got engaged and are thinking about a honeymoon two years from now? Or your 25th wedding anniversary is three years away and you are already dreaming of an epic vacation? Our philosophy is that it is never too soon to start planning! More time planning also means more time to save and pay for the trip, which is always a good thing. Since your consultation is free, there is no reason to put off getting started.

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I have another question that you didn't answer here.

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Please complete our Contact Form and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

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